Keeping in line with its confectionery-themed software names, Google fittingly unveiled the new KitKat operating system for Android phones on Halloween Thursday, and techies everywhere are raving about the new features and functions.
Android 4.4 KitKat, which seeks to make the user experience more intuitive, highlights
voice controls more than any other version of the software, according to Time.com. For example, to perform a search, make a call, or compose a text, all one has to do is say "OK Google" followed by the command.
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Phones with KitKat are also now programmed with a new caller ID feature that runs all incoming calls through Google. That way, if a user receives a phone call from a number that's not a saved contact, the name may still come up if Google locates it online and finds a match.
Other highlights include new phone-to-printer capabilities, an updated camera complete with high-dynamic range technology, and an overhaul of the visual layout of the device.
The
Android KitKat name grew out of a new partnership with Nestlé and Hershey's forged last November. Previous Android software updates include Cupcake (version 1.5), Donut (1.6), Éclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0), and Jelly Bean (4.1).
Also on Thursday, Google revealed its new flagship phone, the Nexus 5. The first phone already preloaded with KitKat and developed through a partnership with LG, the Nexus boasts a 5-inch screen, a high-definition display, and sleeker body.
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